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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Anthropological observation of Lizhuang

Cinema” (currently under construction as a scenic area- planning efforts for Lizhuang’s core area and annually
owned store), and the “Old Theater” (now enclosed and sends outstanding graduate students to local schools
under construction as a tourist attraction), these places for voluntary teaching programs. While these initiatives
are increasingly being physically altered or erased. By demonstrate institutional collaboration, they primarily
continuing to use these historic place names, residents reflect government-led interactions with the university.
of Lizhuang have attempted to preserve the memory of The key question remains: Do these programs genuinely
old Lizhuang, passing down cultural knowledge from benefit Lizhuang’s local residents?
generation to generation. This practice serves as a form of Similarly, local officials have engaged with authors who
resistance against the disappearance of historical landmarks have created literature on Lizhuang’s history, inviting them
due to tourism-driven redevelopment. However, the to hold book launches in the Moonfield core area as part
renewal of tourism infrastructure in the town’s core area
persists, with old sites being demolished and replaced by of efforts to uncover and highlight Lizhuang’s cultural
new tourism facilities that fail to align with the architectural heritage. However, it is unclear whether such initiatives
style of traditional southern Sichuan houses. can attract tourists or encourage local residents to develop
a deeper appreciation for their town’s historical past. The
5. Discussion principles of relocalization have been partially integrated
into Lizhuang’s tourism development. However, whether
The challenge of preserving and maintaining the uniqueness these measures – amid the production of a homogenized
and meaning of a place has become the biggest dilemma in tourist landscape – can truly preserve Lizhuang’s sense of
resisting the intrusion of placelessness (He & Cai, 2014). place remains debatable.
Within the framework of placelessness theory, Lizhuang
faces the erosion of its place identity, and relocalization The limitations of this study are as follows: first,
emerges as a strategy to counter this trend. Thomas (1988) the framework proposed in this article is unable to
theory of relocalization argues that foreign elements can determine the tourism demand for historical town
integrate into a place, merge with local culture, and still culture within the context of the “internet influencer”
retain distinctive local characteristics while preserving economy or predict the trends and direction of historical
originality (Sun, 2017). In an effort to reinforce its cultural town tourism development before the emergence
identity, Lizhuang has sought to emphasize its historical of the next tourist hotspot. Second, this study uses
significance – particularly its contributions and sacrifices Lizhuang historical town as its research focus, but due
during the war period – through the display of historical to variations in tourism development paths and scales,
materials (Nanxi County Chronicles Editorial Committee, the frameworks of locality constructed in different types
1992). This narrative of “selfless contribution” has become a of tourism towns may vary. Finally, this study integrates
core cultural symbol of Lizhuang. However, it largely lacks and analyzes various concepts of place to explain a single
the perspective of local residents, raising questions about tourist town. Future research could develop a multi-
its ability to truly reflect community identity (Figure 4). place perspective framework to examine multiple tourist
Lizhuang’s interaction with Tongji University provides towns, allowing for a broader analysis and identification
an interesting case. Tongji University has contributed free of commonalities in locality development within the
tourism industry. These limitations provide insights for
future research on the tourism development of historical
towns in China.

6. Conclusion
This study concludes that the construction of place identity
in Lizhuang’s historical town follows a three-faceted
process: the leadership of capital authority, the excavation
of local culture, and the role of daily life. The influence of
capital authority is evident through government leadership
and institutional embedding, local culture is preserved
through heritage shops and the transmission of wartime
culture, and daily life contributes to maintaining the town’s
attributes and functions. This framework allows Lizhuang
Figure 4. Two approaches of the ffficial strategy of relocalization in
Lizhuang to retain its unique local identity despite pressures from
Source: Diagram by the author. tourism development. The findings offer strategic insights

Volume 7 Issue 3 (2025) 12 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.4876